Missions

Sovaris is developing solutions to problems of space biomedicine, with specific attention to maintaining robust physiological responses to the condition of prolonged space flight. This work is focused on supporting four specific types of missions/destinations.

International Space Station (ISS)

There are ongoing missions to the International Space Station, including the upcoming 12 Month Mission, wherein a small team of astronauts will inhabit the space station for the longest continual period, thus far. Sovaris Aerospace and its team is involved in exploring targeted genome and metabolome assessment on missions such as this.

Mars/Phobos

According to many space scientists, Mars and Phobos should be among of the most important objectives of the space program. Phobos is considered among the easiest of the celestial bodies to reach in this solar system and it is being pushed by many space scientists, such as Buzz Aldrin, as the next prominent target for the manned space program. Missions to Phobos and Mars will take some 18 months. The exposure to space conditions for such long duration missions contains known and unknown challenges. Selected private companies have announced plans to fly missions to Mars, as early as 2018. These missions will initially involve commercial space participants. Sovaris is working on countermeasures to maintain physiologic vigilance during these long missions. Sovaris is also working on neurophysiologic feedback tools to support astronauts exposed to the psychological stressors associated with prolonged physical demands and isolation.

Commercial Suborbital Space Flight

Sovaris is working with commercial space companies and research organizations to better understand and to support the human physiological response to space flight. Our efforts are aimed at development of assessment tools and countermeasures that enhance human performance. Another crucial focus within the suborbital mission area addresses radiation effects of repeated suborbital flight, such as that encountered by suborbital pilots and suborbital scientists who will be exposed repeatedly to the environment above 100 km. At this time, such exposures are not well understood. Sovaris is conducting research on assessment of the radiation effects of repeated suborbital flight in collaboration with our colleagues at NASA Johnson Space Center. From this knowledge will emerge a greater specificity from which to develop countermeasures.

Return to the Moon

There are aggressive efforts to return to the moon by 2019. While some of the moon-base initiatives are focused on exploration, others are focused on commercial efforts, such as mining moon resources. Extended stays on the moon or an orbiting base near the moon will place extraordinary demands on human physiology. The Sovaris platform is aimed at maintaining a vigilant physiologic response to emergent infections in the space environment, preventing development of cancerous cells in the space environment, maintenance of cognitive vigilance, and maintenance of skeletal and cardiac muscle function during long duration lunar missions. The radiation assessment and countermeasure effort will be important to any lunar expeditions or habitation.